Bruxism Treatment
Indianapolis & Fishers, IN
At Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, we offer a wide range of periodontal and dental implant services. Our caring and compassionate team has one collective priority and that is your smile.
Bruxism is a quite common sleep disorder that is distinguished by the clenching or grinding of your teeth, especially while you are sleeping.
Bruxism is the involuntary habitual grinding of your teeth. Bruxism is a quite common sleep disorder that is distinguished by the clenching or grinding of your teeth, especially while you are sleeping. If Bruxism is left untreated it can lead to a variety of issues, which include headaches, jaw pain, and even the deterioration of your jawbone. There are several treatment options available, which include simple splints and mouth guards, dental correction, anxiety or stress management, and if necessary, medication.
Since there are a variety of reasons why your teeth do show wear, bruxism is often misdiagnosed. At Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, we offer an all-inclusive variety of periodontal and dental implant services. Our compassionate team has one collaborative priority and that is your smile. We work with everyone in a peaceful, relaxed setting, and are dedicated and committed to approaching your dental care as a partner on your health team. If you would like to have an evaluation and consultation about possible bruxism treatment, call our Indianapolis office at 317-574-0600 or our Fishers office at 317-842-2273 to schedule your appointment today.
Bruxism typically presents itself through these following symptoms:
- Frequent headaches
- Stress
- Sore teeth and jaw when waking and/or throughout the day
- Earaches
- Depression, stress, and/or anxiety
- Eating disorder
Award Winning Periodontics
in Indianapolis and Fishers
Dedication to providing the best periodontal care to Indianapolis and Fishers isn't just something Drs. Edwards and Christman talk about. They are board certified periodontist, which means they have gone above and beyond what most periodontists do to master his field of work. They have sought out further education to bring the most promising new treatments to their patients.
Diagnosing Bruxism
To determine if you might have bruxism, you begin by scheduling an initial examination, at which time the staff at Implant Dentistry and Periodontics will inspect for indications of enamel loss and the overall severity of your case. If you have a more severe case, we may need to have introduce a dental crown to protect a damaged tooth, or if you have a less severe case you may simply need to start wearing a nightguard.
If we do diagnose you with bruxism, it is important to schedule your treatment as soon as possible. If the bruxism is left untreated, it can cause the following issues to develop:
- Facial pain: If you have untreated bruxism you may frequently complain about pain around your jaw, as well as some possible facial swelling and frequent headaches.
- Gum recession: Untreated bruxism can be a contributing factor as to why you may develop periodontal disease that then leads to gum recession, and if left untreated even longer, tooth loss. Due to the constant excessive grinding of your teeth, damage occurs to the soft tissue, which then causes the teeth to become loose. Once teeth are loosened, the pockets between the gums will become deeper, which then allows for additional bacteria to become trapped. When this happens, and it will, the structure of the tooth and the jawbone will begin to decay.
- Occlusal trauma: Bruxism results in continued friction and added pressure being placed on the surfaces of the teeth, which will eventually weaken the chewing surfaces. Once these surfaces have become worn down, any one of your teeth are more prone to cracking.
- TMJ: Everyone has two temporomandibular joints (TMJ), one on the left and one on the right. Bruxism, if left untreated, can eventually damage these joints, which will result in you developing TMJ. Symptoms of TMJ are a clicking or popping in the jaw joint, along with muscle or jaw joint discomfort and pain. Other symptoms include headaches, tinnitus, difficulty opening your jaw or a jaw that locks in place, and sometimes numbness in your fingertips and your face.
At Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, we offer a wide range of periodontal and dental implant services. Our caring and compassionate team has one collective priority and that is your smile.
Contact Our Team Today
Treating Bruxism
There are several solutions available at Implant Dentistry and Periodontics for treating bruxism. To determine which treatment option is best for you, it will be necessary to isolate the root cause of your issue. If the root cause appears to be related to undo stress, we may strongly encourage you to make some lifestyle changes, such as including the practicing of yoga, or meditating, and other self-care practices for state of mind.
If these treatment plans do not result in improved symptoms, the following treatment options are also available.
- Mouthguards of Nightguards: One of the most effective methods for treating bruxism is a custom fitted mouthguard that can be worn at night. This mouthguard will effectively reduce the abrasive clenching and grinding action that occurs to the surfaces of your teeth while you sleep. Wearing a mouthguard over a period of time will help stabilize your occlusion and therefore prevent TMJ or additional damage to your teeth from occurring.
- Botox: This has become an increasingly popular option for the treating of bruxism. By injecting Botox into specific targeted areas, the muscles will become weakened such that grinding will not occur as frequently but will not weaken them to the point where your daily activities such as speaking, or chewing will be impacted in a negative fashion.
- NTI-tss device: This is a device that covers your front teeth. The NTI-tss device limits the contraction of the temporalis muscle, which results in preventing your rear molars from grinding.
State of the Art Technology
For Advanced Periodontics
Offering the best periodontal care in the world requires the most advanced technology in the world. Drs. Edwards and Christman are always in search of new ways to provide patients with better results and do it in a way that minimizes pain and recovery time. They are also happy to take up technologies that make it easier to communicate with patients and allow us to do our jobs in more environmentally friendly ways.
Bruxism Treatment Cost
Like most dental procedures, the final cost for your bruxism treatment will be determined by a variety of factors, such as the severity of your case, number of appointments, which solution is chosen, and what type of insurance plan you currently have. We can provide you with a more accurate estimate following your initial visit.
Implant Dentistry and Periodontics does accept most dental insurance programs and will be happy to submit a pre-treatment estimate to your insurance carrier so you can determine what your benefits will be. Or, if you are not currently covered by insurance or have concerns about the final cost, we will be happy to discuss other financial arrangements with you.
Earning your Trust with High Quality Periodontal Care
When you visit Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, you will work with a professional and friendly dental team that uses the most advanced dental technology available today. We patiently listen to your dental goals and we will also design personalized customed treatment that works with your budget and desires. We want you to add value back into that personal asset, your smile, so every one of our services are performed with your best interests in mind.
At Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, we want you to always feel both comfortable and relaxed in the dental chair, and to feel totally confident in our services. Scheduling an appointment for bar retained overdentures is the first step towards being happy with your smile once again. To schedule an appointment, call our Indianapolis office, 8801 North Meridian St., Ste 103, Indianapolis, at 317-574-0600 or our Fishers office, 9885 E. 116th St, Ste 300, Fishers, at 317-842-2273.